430 



ON ECHLNOIDEA FROM THE AUSTRALIAN TERTIARIES. 



a true member of that genus. Zittel noticed the affinities of this 

 form with the Hemipatagi described by Herklots from the Java 

 Tertiaries. 



ScJiizaster rotundatus, Zitt., is allied to S. ventricosus, and there- 

 fore to the Australian Tertiary form which I have noticed. 

 Zittel has also described a huge Brissus (Brissus eocimius, Zitt.). 

 Unfortunately the species named by all writers on New-Zealand 

 fossil Echinoidea, subsequently to Zittel, are without satisfactory 

 descriptions. 



Discussion. 



The President remarked upon the importance of recording the 

 nature of faunas from distinct localities, even though the materials 

 at command might be imperfect. 



Mr. Sladen congratulated the Society upon having brought before 

 them such a paper as that just read. With regard to Clypeaster 

 and Echinanthus he had strong conservative views. EcMnantlius, 

 he thought, should be confined to Brey nius s type. One interesting 

 point in connexion with the ' Challenger ' researches he would 

 notice, namely, the occurrence in comparatively shallow water in the 

 Philippines of forms which elsewhere live in very deep water, and 

 this, he thought, might be found to have a bearing upon our views 

 as to the distribution and bathymetrical range of the fossil forms. 



Prof. Duncan expressed a wish that Mr. Sladen would tell us 

 what conservatism means in this connexion. In many cases when 

 his previous remarks had been criticized by Prof. M'Coy his observa- 

 tions had been founded upon imperfect specimens, although in some 

 instances he could not shelter himself under any such plea. 



Mr. Sladen said that in his opinion Prof. Agassiz was in error 

 in his application of the generic term EcJiinantJius, as the forms ho 

 had referred to that genus were not EJiinantlii at all. 



